PM Modi-led Cabinet gives nod for continuation of PM Poshan Shakti Nirman for 5 years

The PM Modi-led Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave a green signal to the rollout of the 'Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman' scheme to weed out the issue of malnutrition among school-going children in India. Under the scheme, students of elementary classes in government and government-aided schools across the country will be provided hot cooked meals. The decision was taken at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by PM Narendra Modi. 

'Mid-day meal project renamed PM Poshan Shakti Nirman'

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur informed that the existing mid-day meal project will be renamed as the National Scheme for 'PM Poshan Shakti Nirman'. "Union Cabinet gives nod to start PM Poshan scheme to provide mid-day meals to students of more than 11.2 lakh Govt and Govt-aided schools across the country. The scheme will run for 5 years and Rs 1.31 lakh crores will be spent," the Minister said.

The government, over the past one year, has invested more than Rs24,400 crore in the scheme, including about Rs 11,500 crore in food grains. The scheme aims to eradicate malnutrition among children by 2022 wherein different ministries will collaborate with the motive to reduce the level of stunting, under-nutrition, low-birth-weight babies and anaemia.

11.80 crore children in 11.20 lakh schools to benefit from scheme: Govt

As per the infographic shared by MyGovIndia's official Twitter handle, the scheme with an expenditure of Rs 1.31 lakh crore for the next five years aims to cover 11.80 crore children in 11.20 lakh schools throughout the country. All school-going students studying in standards I to VIII in government and government-aided schools are eligible to benefit from the scheme.

"The CCEA, chaired by Prime Minister, has approved the continuation of 'National Scheme for PM POSHAN in schools' for the five years, from 2021-22 to 2025-26 with a financial outlaw of Rs 54061.73 crores from the Central government and Rs 31,733.17 crore from the state government and Union Territory administrations," the Government of India maintained in a statement.

The government in a statement also maintained that it will bear an additional cost of about Rs 45,000 on food grains.
"Therefore the total scheme budget will amount to Rs 1,30,794.90 crore," the statement added. The government, through the scheme, also plans to encourage 'School Nutritional Gardens' in the premises of schools, to expose students to a first-hand experience of nature and gardening.

 Image: PTI/ANI